15 Celebs’ Desperate Attempts To Stay Famous

Hollywood is a fickle mistress, as many celebrities have learned the hard way. One day you’re making headlines for winning an Oscar in one of the most highly anticipated movies of the decade and the next, you’re a relative has-been who was typecast to the role that won you that award. And unless you have another ground-breaking project coming up or some sort of newsworthy event happening in your personal life, Hollywood and the paparazzi pretty much forget about you.

There are paps who are so adamant to follow certain celebrities around like dogs and seize any opportunity to snap photos of them, especially in their most awkward moments. It’s rude and intrusive, yes, but sometimes you wonder if these celebs actually tip off the nosy photographers so that they can get photographed and desperately grab some attention. Because in Hollywood, the struggle to stay relevant is real. These celebs have displayed some odd behavior at one point. Whether it was a deliberate cry for attention or not, we’ll never really know.

15. Freddie Prinze, Jr.

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Back in the ‘90s, Freddie Prinze Jr. was well on his way to becoming one of the biggest heartthrobs to grace the big screens of Hollywood. Sure, he had a pretty face that looked great as he took on roles as a romantic leading man. But he diversified his roles adequately, appearing opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in the slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel. He was in the romantic teen comedy She’s All That, and the Scooby-Doo films as well. He sort of faded from the big screen and took to appearing on TV shows, but it wasn’t the same as when he was in films. Seemingly out of the blue at San Diego Comic-Con this year, he went on a rant about how awful working with Kiefer Sutherland was in the hit TV show 24, to the point that Prinze Jr. wanted to quit show business. He called Sutherland unprofessional and even bashed his height. Many criticized his rants as a poor attempt at grabbing attention.

14. Kanye West

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He’s constantly in the news, but always for the wrong reasons and he’s always painted in a bad light. Whether Kanye West is just showing his true colors to the public or he’s putting up a front just to get attention, the fact of the matter is, he is known as jerk. Even President Barrack Obama once called him a jackass, a name that West has earned through his antics. There was the time he interrupted Taylor Swift’s awards acceptance speech at the VMAs. Then there were his other absurd statements, like declaring he was running for president in 2020, saying during a concert that he would have voted for Donald Trump if he bothered to vote, and finally, meeting with Trump to talk about various social issues. The meeting between the two was mocked by the public, saying it must have been a hoot having two of the most cringe-worthy public figures putting their heads together and discussing serious topics.

13. Stacey Dash

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Many millennials and even Gen Xers may wonder who on earth Stacey Dash is and why she’s even on this list when she’s not (nor ever has) been considered an A-lister. But those who grew up in the ‘90s would recognize her as Dionne, the best friend of Cher (played by Alicia Silverstone) in the 1995 feature film Clueless. She appeared in the television series spinoff of the movie and had some not-too-memorable supporting roles in other TV shows and movies. Apparently, only way she stays in the limelight these days is when she makes a controversial statement or five. She called Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams’ BET awards acceptance speech “racist” and him a “plantation slave.” She criticized the protests about the Oscar nominees being predominantly. Dash also said there should be no Black History Month or BET awards, saying having those kinds of recognition days are “racist.” Naturally, she has a lot of haters now for going against the tide.

12. Kim Kardashian

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Many wonder why the opinions on Kim Kardashian are so polarizing. People either love her so much that they follow her every move on social media—or they hate her so much, but they still follow her every move on social media. What is the fascination with this famous-for-nothing star anyway? Whatever the reason is, she is certainly playing up her fame to her advantage. She has used her overexposure to push ratings for her reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians and to gain publicity for her retail businesses. Who can count the number of selfies she has on her social media accounts? Or the number of photos in general she posts so that she gains tons of hits and views? But “fame” comes with a price. Kardashian was recently robbed in Paris by thieves who were able to break into her suite and they took millions of dollars worth of jewelry. They wouldn’t have known her whereabouts or about her bling if she wasn’t constantly posting about herself online.

11. Kris Jenner

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The apple definitely doesn’t fall far from the tree, for who else would Kim Kardashian inherit her opportunistic tactics than from her own mother, Kris Jenner? The matriarch of the Kardashian/Jenner clan is said to be the brains and ambition behind the popularity (or notoriety, depending on whether you like them or not), behind the family. Her unofficial occupation is “momager,” meaning she manages and calls the shots when it comes to the publicity of her six children. She’s said to have always been ambitious, first marrying famous divorce lawyer Robert Kardashian, then of course, Bruce Jenner, who divorced her anyway in the end. But it wasn’t until daughter Kim’s sex tape was released that the family finally came into the spotlight, as Kris had so desperately been wishing for. Since she never got her chance at stardom in her youth, she is now riding on the coattails of her children’s fame, particularly Kim and Kendall.

10. Jenny McCarthy

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Not everyone who starts out as a nude model for Playboy gets anywhere career-wise, other than being a Playboy bunny, even if said person was once named Playmate of the Year. But Jenny McCarthy used her popularity from her Playboy days to foray into a television and film career. True, she never really made it as a serious actress, earning her a Razzie Award for Worst Actress for the film Dirty Love, but she was able to carve her niche in hosting TV shows. In 1995, McCarthy cohosted the dating show Singled Out, which led to her launching two shows: a sketch comedy show called The Jenny McCarthy Show and a sitcom entitled Jenny. Today, she tries to retain public interest by talking about motherhood, including autism, which her child was diagnosed with; and is a strong anti-vaccine activist, stating that it was the cause of her son’s autism. Most of her medical views are considered dangerous by medical practitioners.

9. Mariah Carey

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Being named the best-selling female artist of the millennium is no mean feat, but it was a title that Mariah Carey held and used to cement her status and reputation as the ultimate diva. She started out in the music industry with hit songs like “Visions of Love” and “One Sweet Day,” which to this day, is the longest-running number-one song in US chart history. At that time, she had that classy, girl-next-door image, always donning simple black gowns and classy hairdos. But after her divorce from music bigwig Tommy Motola, Carey reinvented herself and switched to the hip hop genre with her album Butterfly. And with this reinvention came new cleavage-baring tops and too-short shorts paired with stilettos, all outfits bordering on slutty. Gone were her sexy, but classy outfits of yesteryears. That was almost twenty years ago, yet she still dresses that way today, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her body wasn’t the way it was.

8. Vanilla Ice

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If there was anyone who was the epitome of one-hit wonder, it would definitely be “has-been” rapper Vanilla Ice. His one hit song, “Ice Ice Baby,” stayed at the top of the charts for weeks. People memorized the lyrics and kids danced to the beat. When the excitement over the song waned, so did his popularity. He has tried so hard over the years to re-invent himself to stay relevant, but instead of being successful at it, he was just deemed a laughingstock. First, he tried being that “white person with dreadlocks.” Then he tried motor cross racing and jet skiing. He decided to switch back to music after that. What’s amusing about him is that he is using his has-been image to stay in the limelight by making random cameos here and there, earning him the title as the world’s most famous has-been for the last 20 years.

7. Leah Remini

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She always plays those small, but terrible roles and it befits her personality perfectly. Leah Remini is that petite lady, but far from being demure and weak. She’s got that sharp tongue and quick wit, which likely compensate for her small frame. She appeared in TV shows such as Who’s The Boss, Living Dolls, and Saved By The Bell, but she’s most known for playing the character Carrie Heffernan, wife to Kevin James’ character in the successful TV sitcom The King of Queens. Remini has been doing projects here and there and has pretty much stayed out of the spotlight—until she decided to leave the Church of Scientology and expose its inner workings and scandals. She has repeatedly spoken to media outlets and even developed a documentary about the negative effects Scientology has left on its members. Many see it as a desperate attempt to grab attention to save her floundering career.

6. Tom Cruise

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No doubt, he’s one of the most successful box office actors in modern day Hollywood, not to mention, he has a pretty colorful personal life. The combination of a stellar career and a paparazzi-worthy private life ensures that Tom Cruise will constantly get shoved into the spotlight and it’s likely something he’s used to in his many years in the business. His close association to the Church of Scientology is the main reason Cruise’s life is constantly under scrutiny and not in a good way. The religion is said to be the reason that his marriage to Nicole Kidman fell apart. It was also rumored that his relationship and subsequent marriage to his third wife Katie Holmes was a publicity stunt to make him and Scientology look good. Remember the time he was gushing so hard to Oprah Winfrey about Holmes to the point that he was jumping up and down on the couch and pumping his fists like he won the lottery? Many say his actions were pretty over the top in that instance.

5. Lindsay Lohan

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Lindsay Lohan was a breath of fresh air when she started in the business as a child actor, having her breakthrough role in the Disney remake of the film The Parent Trap. She gave such a stellar performance, playing two roles with completely different personalities and accents. It was clear that she had that innate acting talent and that she would definitely go places if she stayed on the right path. Unfortunately, she has veered off course too many times, having run-ins multiple times with the law and having these incidents splashed all over the news. She barely gets any projects these days due to her erratic and unprofessional behavior and the struggle to stay relevant seems to be eating at her. She once declared that she would copyright her named Lindsay and that she would sue anyone who would have the same name as her. She also pulled a Regina George on some of Ariana Grande’s Instagram selfies, putting the comment “too much make-up” on the photos.

4. Madonna

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It’s hard to believe that Madonna is almost 60 years old because she doesn’t act it and she certainly doesn’t look the part, thanks to plastic surgery, working out, and eating healthy. But she’s been in the industry for four decades and she’s probably the only person who’s been able to pull this off successfully, producing hit songs, touring the world to promote her albums, and even starring in the occasional movie. Why has she stayed relevant? Because she’s constantly reinventing herself. But while she’s still very much around today, it’s hard to avoid the occasional hater or naysayer commenting that she should retire or that she should act her age. She’s always had the most outlandish, shocking behavior and she hasn’t let her age stop her from being who she is, never mind her detractors and never mind if she looks ridiculous. Her latest gimmick was showing her support of Hilary Clinton in the elections by voting naked, something Katy Perry did as well. Too bad their efforts didn’t pay off.

3. Katherine Heigl

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She has earned the reputation for being a difficult person to work with and it all started with an Emmy nomination. Katherine Heigl got her start as a teenager in the film My Father, The Hero, in which she turned heads. She landed a role in the sci fi TV show Roswell and from there, she was cast as Dr. Izzy Stevens in the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. The role as the good doctor garnered praise from critics and even won her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series back in 2007. But her refusal to put her name in for an Emmy nomination the following year drew harsh criticisms, with people saying she was acting self-righteous, even though her reasoning was she wasn’t happy enough with her performance to feel worthy of a nomination. This proved to be her downfall, as she eventually left the show when she simply did not report for work one day. She has clarified her actions in several interviews, but unfortunately, she can’t seem to shake off her reputation of being unprofessional.

2. Amber Heard

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She has been in the news a lot lately, but for all the wrong reasons. Amber Heard made her film debut in the sports drama Friday Night Lights, but had her breakthrough moments in the films Never Back Down and Pineapple Express. It was when filming The Rum Diary in 2011 when she met Johnny Depp, who she would eventually move in with. They were married in February 2015, but their marriage did not even last as long as their relationship prior to the wedding. Heard filed for divorce from Depp in May 2016, stating that he verbally and physically abused her during the entirety of their relationship. What ensued was an ugly battle of he said, she said, which was closely followed by the media and the public. In an attempt to prove that she was telling the truth and that she wasn’t blackmailing Depp for money, Heard declared that she would donate the proceeds from her divorce settlement to certain charities.

1. Britney Spears

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If there’s someone who has had a love-hate relationship with the media, it’s Britney Spears. The small-town Mississippi girl who joined the Mickey Mouse Club as a child never in her wildest dreams would have thought she’d shoot to super stardom by reviving teen pop and be regarded as a pop icon. Her first studio album, Baby One More Time became an international success and it was uphill from then on. However, her personal life hit a snag in 2007 when her marriage crumbled and she started displaying erratic behavior like shaving her head and driving with her son on her lap. In an attempt to bounce back, Spears performed in the 2007 MTV VMAs, but her appearance left everyone aghast, as she lip synced her way through her song and wore a skimpy outfit that did nothing to flatter her once-toned figure. Fortunately, she eventually recovered and resumed her successful music career.